Plunger lock circuit controller



Nov. 5, 1929. T. G. STILES PLUNGER LOCK CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed June 23. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 5, 1929. I ,T. G. STILES 1,734,452

' PLUNGER LOCK CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

FiledJunb 23. 1927 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LL u INVENTOR:

7110mm fi w. 5V

BY ms" ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES THOMAS GEORGE STILES, OF

AnLrnG'roN, NEW JERSEY PLUNGER LOCK CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Application filed June 23,

This invention relates to electric circuit controllers for use in railway signal practice. The invention is concerned primarily with circuit controllers of the plunger lock type and has for its principal object the provision of mean to prevent the inadvertent removal of the plunger in such a controller. Another object of the invention is to so design the controller that the relation of parts between the plunger and the elements of the controller which co-operate with it shall be such as to inherently constitute the locking means whereby inadvertent removal of the plunger is prevented. These and other objects of the invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description thereof in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a circuit controller according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same, a portion of the cover being broken away to show the interior thereof, and the parts being in such relation that the electric circuits are broken.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same with the cover and the electric connections removed in order to show the mechanical arrangement of parts.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the plunger bar and the elements cooperating therewith in such relation that the electrical circuits are closed.

The controller comprises a base a formed with bolt holes a by means of which the controller may be fastened to a sultable pedestal. Formed integrally with the base a is the housing I) which, with the hinged cover I) and the removable end portion 6 encloses the moving parts and the electrical connections of the controller. Pivoted to the housing as at b is a rocker c which carries rollers 0, 0 At one end of the rocker, as at 0 is pivoted the yoke c which moves up and down in the guides 1) formed in the housing. The yoke carries strips of insulating material d, d between which may be inserted the ends 1927. Serial No. 200,816.

of the contact strips d The contact strips are electrically connected with the binding posts (Z which are mounted upon a block of insulating material d Upon the block d are also mounted the binding posts d to which are electrically connected the contact strips cl. The block d is mounted upon the lugs (Z formed on the inside of the housing.

The plunger 6, which is formed with a recessed channel e intermediate its ends, eX-

tends into the housing between the arms of the yoke 0 and may be forced all the way through the other end of the housing through the channel 6, assuming that its passage is not obstructed by the block at, the nature of which it is not'necessary to set forth for an understanding of this invention. The relation between the plunger e and the rocker c is such that when one of the rollers on the rocker is within the channel 6 the'other will contact with the bottom face of the plunger. The length of the channel 6 is such that either one or the other of the rollers must bear against the bottom of the channel while the other bears upon the bottom face of the plunger. Thus, it will be seen that the plunger, in Figure 2, for instance, cannot be withdrawn any further to the left because so doing would require that both the rollers bear against the bottom face of the plunger,'which is impossible.

WVhen the plunger is in the position shown in Figure 5, the roller 0 will be in the channel while the roller 0 will bear on the bottom face of the plunger thereby drawing the yoke downwardly and with it the strip d thus closing the circuit between the binding posts (Z and d VVhenthe plunger is withdrawn into the position shown in Figure 2, the rollor a will be within the channel while the roller 0 will bear against the bottom face of the plunger. Thus the yoke 0* will be forced upwardly breaking the contact between the strips (l and cl.

Various details in the design of the housing will be apparent from a study of the drawings and they have not been described in detail since they are not necessary to an understanding of the invent-ion. A conduit 9 may be provided through which wires may be led to the binding posts (Z (Z The hinged cover b may be locked in place as by means of the hasp h and the padlock Z.

Thus there has been provided a plunger lock circuit controller in which the insertion or withdrawal of a plunger co-operating with a rocker within the controller housing may make or break any desired electrical circuits, the relation between the plunger and the rocker being such that the plunger cannot be inserted or withdrawn from the controller beyond the extreme positions as indicated in Figures 2 and 5. Since the yoke can be moved only inserting or withdrawing the plunger the contacts are locked in either position, that is, the circuits cannot be made or broken except upon movement of the plunger.

Nothing which has been said in the foregoing description is intended as a limitation upon the scope of the invention except as indicated in the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A plunger lock circuit controller comprising a housing, a plunger nduig into i in the housing and adapted to move upon insert-ion or Withdrawal of the plunger, said rocker co-operating with the plunger in such a manner as to prevent insertion or withdrawal of the plunger beyond predetermined points, and means carried with the rocker to make or break an electric circuit upon movement of the rocker.

3. A plunger lock circuit controller comprising a housing, a plunger extending into the housing, a rocker pivotally mounted at its mid-point within the housing, rollers on the ends of the rocker, said rollers co-operating with the plunger in such a manner as to cause movement of the rocker upon insertion or withdrawal of the plunger and to prevent insertion or withdrawal of the plunger be yond predetermined points, and means carried with the rocker to make or break an electric circuit upon movement of the rocker.

4. A plunger lock circuit controller comprising a housing, plunger extending into the housing, a recessed channel in the plunger, a rocker pivotally mounted at its mid-point within the housing, rollers on the ends of the rocker, said rocker being so'positioned with respect to the plunger that when one of said rollers is within said channel the other will co-operate with the bottom of the plunger to impart movement to the rocker upon insertion or withdrawal of the plunger and to prevent insertion or Withdrawal of the plunger beyond predetermined points, and means carried with the rocker to make or break an electric circuit upon movement of the rocker.

5. A plunger lock circuit controller comprising a housing, a plunger extending into the housing, a recessed channel in the plunger, a rocker pivotally mounted at its mid-point within the housing, rollers on the ends of the rocker, said rocker being so positioned with respect to the plunger that when one of said rollers is within said channel the other will co-operate with the bottom of the plunger to impart movement to the rocker upon inserion or withdrawal of the plunger and to prevent insertion or withdrawal of the plunger beyond predetermined points, a yoke carried with one end of the rocker, and means carried with the yoke to make or break an electric circuit upon movement of the rocker.

6. A plunger lock circuit controller comprising a housing, a plunger extending into the housing, a recessed channel in the plunger, rock r pivotally mounted at its midpoint within the housing, rollers on the ends of the rocker, said rocker being so positioned with respect to the plunger that when one oi said rollers is within said channel the other will cc-operate with the bottom of the plunger to impart movement to the rocker upon insertion or withdrawal of the plunger and to prevent insertion or withdrawal of the plunger beyond predetern'iined points, a yoke carried with one end of the rocker, and means carried with the yoke to make or break an electric circuit upon movement of the rocker, said means being locked in position against movement except upon insertion or withdrawal of the plunger.

This specification signed this 10th day of June, A. D. 1927.

THOMAS GEORGE STILES. 

